Automatic swimming pool cleaner



May 1, 1962 A. L. PANSlNl AUTOMATIC swmmms POOL CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12. 1958 INVI IiEZDR. ANDREW L. FANS/NI A TTORNE VS May 1, 1962 A. PANSlNl 3,032,044

AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL. CLEANER Filed May 12, 1958 s Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ANDREW L. PANS/N/ BYzl rzd A TTO/PNEVS y 1962 A. PANSlNl 3,032,044

AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL CLEANER Filed May 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ANDREW L. PANS/N/ A 7' TO/PNEVS States 3,032,044 AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL CLEANER Andrew L. Pansini, Greenbrae, Calif. (180 Los Cerras Drive, San Rafael, Calif.) Filed May 12, 1958, Ser. No. 734,772 9 Claims. (Cl. 134-111) filter system of the pool.

The matter of maintaining swimming pools and the water contained therein in a suitable and desirable condition for use is not only an expensive one at the present time, but it is laborious and time-consuming to the point where many people have decided against having pool installations made. It is well recognized in the swimming pool construction and equipment industry that both the expense and the work involved in pool maintenance on the part of a private pool owner has curtailed pool installation.

Aside from the necessity of purifying or sterilizing the Water, as by continued additions of chlorine or ultraviolet ray treatment, there is the practical necessity of removing the dirt which inevitably gets into a pool, particularly an outdoor one, through wind and air conditions and pool use. Thus, varieties of surface skimmers are available to skim foreign matter from the pool surface before it settles out onto the bottom or side walls. Manually operable vacuum cleaners are available to remove the dirt and scum from the bottom of the pool. The usual manner of cleaning the side Walls is by way of a manual brushing operation, as the scum and dirt which settles upon and adheres to the bottom and side walls of the pool is not, of course, removed therefrom by operation of the pump-filter system. The latter merely serves to remove the filterable foreign matter which is dispersed, or suspended, in the water.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically removing the accumulated scum and dirt from the pool sides and bottom and dispersing the same in the water for handling by the pumpfilter system, thereby eliminating the need for manual operation of vacuum cleaners, wall brushes, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with said automatic cleaning means, flow control means removably positionable adjacent the main pool outlet and operable to induce the non-suspended and larger, dirt particles, which gravitate under the action of said cleaning means to the deep end of the pool in which said outlet is normally situated, into said outlet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a profile view of a typical swimming pool showing means embodying the invention and illustrating the mode of operation of the same;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the pool and cleaning means of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation of the drain outlet flow control means which is preferably employed in combination with the automatic cleaning means of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of the flow control means of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective of a modification of the automatic cleaning means of the invention;

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FIGURE 6 is a composite sectional and side elevational view of the cleaning means of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of a further modification of the automatic cleaning means of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG- URE 7.

With reference to the FIGURES, 1-4 embodiment of the invention, the pool cleaning means comprises a length of pipe 10 supported above the surface 12 of the water by a float 14, a downwardly directed conduit 16, a length As shown, the pipe 10 is freely supported by the deck 38 of the pool, the latter being defined by end walls 40,

side walls 42, and a bottom 44 comprising a sloped portion 46 and a deep portion 48. At the shallow end,-

the pool is shown as being provided with entry and exit steps 50. The pipe 10 is connected, as by a length oft flexible hose 52, to a source of water under pressure, such as the garden tap of a house, or, preferably, to, the output side of the pump-filter system 53 of the pool.

In the event of the latter, it will be normally necessary to employ a booster pump between the hose 52 and the normal pump-filter system, as the pump of the latter in a typical small private pool installation will not have an output pressure as high as that provided through the.

garden tap of the house. i

The arrangement illustrated is one that has been con The shape of the float 14 is occasioned by the fact that it was made structed and experimentally used by me.

out of two funnels welded to each other and to the pipe 10 (extending through the funnels) to prevent the influx of Water. The float 20 is elongated for the purpose of providing a degree of outrigger stability to pipe 18, to prevent any tendency of the latter to rotate about its longitudinal axis by way of reaction to the jet of water issuing from nozzle 34. Nozzle 24 is simple and inexpensive, being available as a flushing nozzle at various retail trade outlets.

To operate the automatic pool cleaner described, it is only necessary to turn on the water supply to house 52.,

The water passes through pipe '10, conduit 16, pipe 18,

hose 22 and nozzle 24, with a secondary water flow; issuing from nozzle 34. -By way of reaction to the jetf issuing from nozzle 24 and the positional attitude of the hose, which seeks to straighten itself out, the hose writhes and contors through an infinitude of positions,-

While the pipe, or support arm, 18 rotates (in a clockwise direction with reference to FIGURE 2) by way of reaction to the jet issuing from nozzle. The nozzle 24' sweeps across the pool walls and it frequently emerges;

from the pool to send its jet stream into the air at random,

following which it falls back into the pool to, generally/- The movement of the carrier arm 18 prevents the hose from kinking, or g becoming trapped, as in a corner of the pool between sweep downwardly along a pool wall.

a side Wall 42, end wall 40 and steps 50, or otherwise rendered inoperative in the manner described. Additionally, the movement of the carrier arm 18 assists the hose: in climbing the sloped portion 46 of the pool bottom;

Also, the swivel joint 32 tends to prevent the hose 22' from becoming axially twisted, relative to the conduit a fitting, sufiiciently to render its operation less satisfactory.-'-

The almost indescribably sinuous movement of hose 18' is such that in a period of ,12 hours a pool 20-30 feet. in length and 10-15 feet in width has the bottom, side and.

Patented May 1, 1952 Conduit 16, which.

aosaoc r end Walls totally cleaned, i.e. the jet issuing from nozzle 24 is brought into effective cleaning relation with these surfaces to the point where there remains no scum or dirt to be detectably removed by a hand brush. Additionally, when the hose 52 is connected to the garden tap and the household water pressure is high, a condition more frequently encountered at night, the nozzle 24 is projected above the surface .12 a sufficient number of times in a sufiicient number of different attitudes to not only quite thoroughly wash down the pool deck 38 but also water adjacent flower beds, if any.

While the pool cleaner is operated, the pump-filter .system of the pool ,is desirably operated, as in this way the dirt dislodged from the pool walls and suspended in the water is filtered from the water by passage through the filter unit. It is pointed out that the pump-filter system of a pool .is generally operated for at least a few hours per day, usually at night, and hence the use of the subject cleaning unit fits in Well with this common practice. So well, in fact, that when the discharge water from the pump-filter system is used to operate the cleaning unit, i.e. the latter is not operated by fresh, or non-pool, water, it costs nothing in a monetary sense to operate the unit. At times when it is desirable to add make-up water to the pool, the garden tap may be used for supply to hose 52.

During the course of operation of the cleaning unit, there will generally be relatively heavy dirt particles freely dispersed on the bottom of the pool. These will tend to gravitate toward the main outlet 54 of the pool, the latter being located in the deeperportion 48 of the pool bottom. Also, particles may be dislodged from the pool sides and bottom which are too heavy to be suspended for any appreciable period of time in the water. These particles likewise will tend to gravitate toward the outlet 54. Such non-suspended dirt particles are indicated by 56 in FIG- URE 3. When the pump-filter system is energized, the outlet 54 tends to draw the water downwardly into it. The attractive and current forces set up by such water flow are generally not sufficient to induce the non-suspended particles 56 to pass through and into the outlet 54. Therefore, in combination with the cleaning unit there is provided means to cause a current through the outlet 54 of such nature as to induce movement of the particles 56 toward the outlet, where they are then removed into the filter unit. Such means comprise circular plate member 57 having three or four abbreviated leg supports 58 of about a half inch in height. The plate is provided with sufiicient weight, as in the form of a thickness of lead 69, to prevent water current-induced movement of it away from its covering relation to outlet 54. The plate 57 is further provided with a. hook element 62, or the like, whereby the plate may be placed in position on the pool bottom and removed therefrom, as by a long handle member 64 having a hook end 66, without the necessity of anyone going into the pool to position the plate, or flow control means. The combination of the cleaning means and pool outlet flow control means provides for efficient cleaning and removal from the pool, via the pump-filter system, of all of the dirt in the pool at the start of the cleaning operation.

A modified form of the automatic pool cleaner is shown in FIGURES and 6. The embodiment herein shown differs essentially from that previously described in the means employed to carry and prevent entanglement or inoperation of the cleaning hose. The carrier means of FIGURES 56 comprises a float box 170 which is guided for movement back and forth lengthwise of the pool or crosswise as the case may be, by means comprising eye bolts 172 disposed in sleeved relation to guide wire 17%. The water input hose 152, which is supported by one or more floats 120, is connected to a Y-fitting 176. The major part of the flow to fitting 176 passes into the cleaning hose 122 and through the nozzle 124, while the balance of the flow to the fitting passes into a two way valve 178 disposed within the float housing 17%. Tubes 189 and 132 extend from the valve 178 through the float housing to nozzle members 184 and 186. The valve '178'is under the control of a reciprocably movable rod 183 which is slidably disposed in valve 178 and the end walls of the float housing 170. When the rod is in one extreme position, as illustrated in FIGURES 5-6, flow through the valve 173 is limited to tubes 182 and 186, thereby causing the jet issuing from nozzle 186 to move the float housing to the left, with reference to FIGURE 6. The housing moves in that direction relatively slowly in order to allow efiicient working action of hose 122, and when the housing approaches the opposite end wall of the pool the control rod 188 is moved, relatively, to the right, by said end wall to close off the flow to tube 182 and bring tube into communication with hose 152, whereupon the jet issuing from nozzle 184 causes the reverse movement of the float housing, the same being continued until the other end wall is engaged by the control rod.

A further modification of the automatic pool cleaner of the invention is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Again, there is a difference in the carrier means adapted to prevent kinking or otherwise caused inoperativeness of the cleaning hose. In the embodiment of FIGURES 7-8, the water input is to the hose 252, which is supported by one or more floats 220. The hose communicates through a fitting including an elbow 291i and a swivel joint 292, with a conduit 294 which extends through and is secured to a circular float 29 6. The flow from hose 252 goes primarily to the cleaning hose 222, with a secondary flow passing from conduit 294 through the T-fitting 298 to a tube 309 which terminates in a discharge nozzle 302 disposed at right angles to the main body of the tube. It will be appreciated that the jet flow through nozzle 302 causes the float 296 to rotate about its central axis, and that such movement causes the conduit 294, the T-fitting 298 and the cleaning hose 222 to likewise rotate about their longitudinal axes. The fixed twist connection between the float 296 and the hose 222 torque-wrenches the hose 222 free from positions of self-entanglement or corner, etc. entrapment.

In connection with the various carrier-driving nozzles, i.e. 34, 184 and 186, and 362, it is operationally advantageous that these nozzles are provided with flow adjustment means, as thereby the rate of travel of the hose carrier may be not only controlled, but the apportionment of flow between these drive nozzles and the cleaning hose nozzle may be adjusted depending upon the pressure condition of the water source being used. Additionally, it is desirable that the drive nozzle 34 be rotationally positionable with respect to the conduit-fitting 32, as thereby the direction of rotation of the carrier arm 18 may be controlled, as desired. For example, on successive occasions of use, it might be desirable, for reasons of geometry of construction of a particular pool, to cause the carrier arm to rotate in opposite directions. In connection with the steps 51) of the pool of FIGURES l and 2, for instance, the hose 22 may tend to approach between the steps and one of the side walls in one way when the carrier arm 18 is swung in one direction, and reversal of direction of movement of the carrier arm during the successive cleaning operation may tend to insure that not even a small corner of the pool structure has been missed during such successive cleaning operations.

While a number of embodiments of invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated that the invention is subject to further modification within the spirit of the invention and the range of equivalents to which it is entitled.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic cleaner for a swimming pool comprising an elongated flexible hose having a discharge nozzle, said hose having a submergible length portion of sufiicient length to engage the bottom of said pool, float means adapted to be disposed on the surface of said pool inwardly of the vertical wall portions thereof to support said submergible length portion in pendent relation thereto, said submergible length portion being free to move sinuously in reaction to the discharge of fluid from said nozzle, and reactive propulsion means, separate from and independent of said discharge nozzle, carried by said float means in submerged relation within said pool when said float means is disposed on the surface of said pool to variably position said float means within said pool and thereby variably position said flexible hose within said pool.

2. An automatic cleaner adapted for use with a swimming pool having conduit means to introduce water therein comprising an elongated flexible hose having a discharge nozzle at one end thereof and having the other end thereof disposed in flow receiving relation with said conduit means, said hose having a submergible length portion, terminating at said discharge nozzle, of sufflcient length to engage the bottom of said pool, float means adapted to be disposed on the surface of said pool to support said length portion in pendent and submerged relation thereto, said float means being normally disposed away from the sides of said pool to provide said hose with a locus of suspension independent of the sides and deck of said pool, said submergible length portion being free to move sinuously in reaction to the discharge of fluid from said nozzle whereby discharge flow-induced reactive movement of said discharge nozzle and hose may take place in all lines of direction from said locus of suspension, and reactive propulsion means, separate from and independent of said discharge nozzle, carried by said float means in submerged relation within said pool when said float means is disposed on the surface of said pool to variably position said locus of suspension within said pool.

3. An automatic cleaner for a swimming pool comprising an elongated flexible hose having a first discharge nozzle, said hose having a length sufficient for it to engage the bottom of said pool, float means to support said hose in pendent relation thereto, a second nozzle carried by said float means, said second nozzle being adapted to be submerged in the pool water, extending laterally from said float means, and being operable upon the discharge of water therefrom to cause said float means to move Within said pool, and water-supply conduit means in communication with said hose and with said nozzle carried by said float means.

4. An automatic cleaner for a swimming pool comprising an elongated flexible hose having a first discharge nozzle, said hose having a length sufficient for it to engage the bottom of said pool, a carrier supporting said hose in pendent relation thereto, float means to support said carrier, a second nozzle attached to said carrier, said second nozzle being adapted to be submerged in the pool water, extending laterially from said carrier, and being operable upon the discharge of water therefrom to cause said carrier to move within said pool, and water-supply conduit means in communication with said hose and with said second nozzle.

5. The automatic pool cleaner of claim 4, wherein said carrier and float means therefor comprise a first pipe adapted to extend from the pool deck toward the middle of said pool, a float supporting said pipe, a second pipe, means supporting said second pipe including a float and a downwardly extending tubular conduit interconnecting adjacent ends of said pipes, a swivel joint in said tubular conduit enabling horizontal swinging movement of said second pipe relative to said first pipe, said second nozzle extending from said second pipe and being disposed so that flow therefrom imparts said swinging movement to said second pipe, with said hose being connected to said second pipe, and with said water-supply conduit means including said first and second pipes and said interconnecting tubular conduit.

6. The automatic pool cleaner of claim 4, wherein said carrier and float means therefor comprise a circular platform adapted to float, and said nozzle attached to said carrier extending horizontally and tangentially to said platform to cause rotative movement of said platform about its axis.

7. The automatic pool cleaner of claim 6, said hose being connected to the center of said platform and being adapted to be axially twisted by rotative movement of said platform.

8. The automatic pool cleaner of claim 4, wherein said carrier and float means therefor comprise a floatable box-like container having a pair of oppositely disposed end walls, said carrier nozzle extending through one of said walls, another carrier nozzle extending through the other of said end walls, said water-supply conduit means being adapted to be in communication with each of said carrier nozzles, valve means in said conduit means and control means therefor to selectively allow flow through one of said carrier nozzles and cut off flow through the other, said control means comprising a rod slidably mounted in said end walls, extending therefrom, and adapted to be moved by engagement with the walls of said pool, and guide means to constrain the nozzle-actuated movement of said container to a predetermined path of travel.

9. An automatic cleaner adapted for use with a swimming pool having conduit means to introduce water therein comprising an elongated flexible hose having a discharge nozzle at one end thereof and having the other end thereof disposed in flow receiving relation with said conduit means, said hose having a submergible length portion, terminating at said discharge nozzle, of sufiicient length to engage the bottom of said pool, float means adapted to be disposed on the surface of said pool to support said length portion in pendent and submerged relation thereto, said float means being normally disposed away from the sides of said pool to provide said hose with a locus of suspension independent of the sides and deck of said pool, said submergible length portion being free to move sinuously in reaction to the discharge of fluid from said nozzle whereby discharge flow-induced reactive movement of said discharge nozzle and hose may take place in all lines of direction from said locus of suspension, and means responsive to the flow of water through said conduit means and hose to impart movement to said float means within said pool, said pool hav ing a pump-filter system and having a main outlet in the pool bottom, said conduit means being in communication with the output side of said pump-filter system and being adapted to receive at least a portion of the flow therefrom, said cleaner including baflle means removably disposable above said main outlet operable to induce flow currents along the pool bottom toward said outlet, whereby dirt particles disposed on the pool bottom in the area thereof traversed by said flow currents will be caused by said currents to travel toward said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,960 Knoll et a1 Dec. 20, 1887 729,992 Baker June 2, 1903 1,516,359 Tideman Nov. 18, 1924 1,885,620 Moyer Nov. 1, 1932 2,245,575 Count June 17, 1941 2,646,889 Dulak July 28, 1953 2,735,794 Pletcher Feb. 21, 1956 2,750,229 Cammann June 12, 1956 2,919,027 Blumenfeld Dec. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,208 Germany Mar. 14, 1955 

